COROWA remains a town divided over the construction of an outdoor 50-metre pool or an indoor 25-metre heated facility. A public meeting attended by more than 200 people at the Corowa RSL Club on Wednesday night carried a motion for Federation Council to rescind its recent resolution to finalise designs and call for tenders for an outdoor pool and continue to investigate an indoor heated pool option. The motion also wants council to agree to building a 25-metre, eight-lane indoor pool, learn to swim pool and splash park. For the motion to be tabled at a forthcoming Federation Council meeting it will require the support of three councillors, with former Corowa Shire mayor Fred Longmire agreeing to be one of the required signatories. It’s highly unlikely the rescission motion will be tabled at next week’s meeting. One of the convenors of the public meeting, Maryann Herbert, defended her committee’s decision to object after a decision had finally been made in the long-running saga. “Until the vote was taken there was nothing to object to,” she said. Mrs Herbert said the increasing number of home pools being built and access to the Murray River no longer made the outdoor pool the major attraction it was previously. Mayor Pat Bourke confirmed an indoor pool would cost at least $500,000 per year to run, but a final decision would depend on the result of tenders received to building an outdoor pool. “It is a very big decision because the on costs are huge,” he said. “It will affect rates, all your rates at the end of the day. “We want to do the best thing for the people.” But speakers at the meeting revealed their willingness to pay extra in rates to have an indoor pool. Council general manager Adrian Butler also confirmed a shared entry plan for the pool and caravan park, which would add a further $2.3 million to the project, had been shelved. The meeting was also told private parties were showing an interest in creating an indoor pool facility to meet the need in Corowa.

More than 200 people attended public meeting on long-running Corowa pool debate

MAKING WAVES: Public meeting co-organiser Maryann Herbert is pushing for a Corowa indoor pool and is looking for council support to reverse plans.

COROWA remains a town divided over the construction of an outdoor 50-metre pool or an indoor 25-metre heated facility.

A public meeting attended by more than 200 people at the Corowa RSL Club on Wednesday night carried a motion for Federation Council to rescind its recent resolution to finalise designs and call for tenders for an outdoor pool and continue to investigate an indoor heated pool option.

The motion also wants council to agree to building a 25-metre, eight-lane indoor pool, learn to swim pool and splash park.

For the motion to be tabled at a forthcoming Federation Council meeting it will require the support of three councillors, with former Corowa Shire mayor Fred Longmire agreeing to be one of the required signatories.

It’s highly unlikely the rescission motion will be tabled at next week’s meeting.

One of the convenors of the public meeting, Maryann Herbert, defended her committee’s decision to object after a decision had finally been made in the long-running saga.

“Until the vote was taken there was nothing to object to,” she said.

Mrs Herbert said the increasing number of home pools being built and access to the Murray River no longer made the outdoor pool the major attraction it was previously.

Mayor Pat Bourke confirmed an indoor pool would cost at least $500,000 per year to run, but a final decision would depend on the result of tenders received to building an outdoor pool.

“It is a very big decision because the on costs are huge,” he said.

“It will affect rates, all your rates at the end of the day.

“We want to do the best thing for the people.”

But speakers at the meeting revealed their willingness to pay extra in rates to have an indoor pool.

Council general manager Adrian Butler also confirmed a shared entry plan for the pool and caravan park, which would add a further $2.3 million to the project, had been shelved.

The meeting was also told private parties were showing an interest in creating an indoor pool facility to meet the need in Corowa.